Choose, align and inflate your next big saving

Volvo has now measured the fuel saving potential of having the right tyres, properly inflated, on correctly aligned wheels and axles. Together, these three things can cut fuel consumption by a substantial 14 percent for a truck hauling a loaded trailer. What’s more, it appears most hauliers have something to gain – as studies show 2 out of 3 trucks in Europe have incorrectly aligned axles and wheels.

WE DROVE 1,000 KM TO GET YOU THE FACTS Powered by 500 hp 13-litre Euro 5 engines, two identical Volvo FH 4x2 trucks hauled their three-axle trailers and 40-tonne payloads around the Swedish test tracks for two weeks. One with an optimised wheel and tyre set-up, the other with a wide range of incorrect settings. After a thousand kilometres of high-tech monitoring, we now have the data.

Choosing the right tyre can cut consumption by as much as 11 percent. Correctly aligned axles and wheels can save a further 2.5 percent. And the right tyre pressure reduces consumption by another 1 percent, bringing the total fuel saving potential to 14 percent. Facts that are hardly surprising when you hear that one third of the vehicle’s fuel performance stems from its tyres.

LESS FUEL CONSUMED, LESS ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
Even 1 percent saved in fuel consumption by an optimised tyre set-up means 1 percent saved in carbon emissions. So the optimal tyre set-up brings the haulier a smaller fuel bill and a smaller carbon footprint.

SETTING UP WHEELS AND TYRES FOR FUEL EFFICIENCY
To make the most of these new insights, more than a thousand Volvo workshops are preparing to correct the situation for hauliers all over the world. Ultimately, this will mean talking to our customers about how their tyre set-up can be improved – not least when we see the signs of poorly aligned wheel axles, such as uneven tyre tread. Only then can we help to maximise your day-to-day fuel efficiency.

“We’re not satisfied with building fuel efficient engines, we’re looking for ways to cut fuel consumption throughout the lifetime of the truck– by getting more involved after it has beendelivered to the customer.
The test provides reliable evidence of how muchfuel can be saved, and sharing this knowledgehelps us to deliver the lowest cost performance toour customers.’’
Arne-Helge Andreassen, Aftermarket & Retail, Volvo Trucks